Epidermal Inclusion Cyst in the Foot of a Vietnam Veteran

Abstract

Epidermal inclusion cysts are soft-tissue lesions that result from traumatic implantation of epidermal cells into the dermis. A case report is presented involving a large recurrent plantar inclusion cyst secondary to trauma sustained in the Vietnam War. The patient reported that the initiating trauma was the result of stepping on a punji stake in Vietnam. Punji stakes, sharpened spikes typically made of bamboo and dipped in poison or excrement, were used by the Vietnamese soldiers to wound enemy soldiers. Careful excision of the lesion is imperative to prevent recurrence. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 96(5): 445–447, 2006)